


Stay With Me

by reluctantOracle



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Romance, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-05
Updated: 2016-01-05
Packaged: 2018-05-12 00:14:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5646958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reluctantOracle/pseuds/reluctantOracle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Despite the Jedi insisting that pain be ignored and attachment is dangerous, Anakin can't hide from his grief once he is asleep. Obi Wan soon realises this, and takes it upon himself to comfort his former padawan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stay With Me

_“No… No, I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I can’t do it, I’m sorry!”_

Obi Wan followed the cries, finding himself in Anakin’s room almost without making a conscious decision to do so. The young man looked shockingly small on the bed, curled in on himself and tangled in sheets, moaning aloud. Obi Wan approached cautiously, not wanting to cause him further stress by waking him unexpectedly. 

Anakin’s face was twisted into an expression of terrified horror, looking younger than Obi Wan had ever seen him. He looked like a scared, lost little boy, not the powerful warrior he had become, not even the slave child from Tatooine who had grown up tough to survive. He looked vulnerable. 

Obi Wan sat at the edge of his bed, attempting to reach out to his former padawan and soothe his thoughts. Another sob cut him off abruptly, shaking the air and chilling Obi Wan’s heart.

_“Mom… Please don’t hate me. I’m sorry… I tried… I tried so hard I…”_

The words deteriorated into incoherent mumbling, but the pain was as sharp and clear as it had ever been. Obi Wan felt a stab of guilt shoot through his gut. Anakin so rarely spoke of his mother any more, and he had presumed he was moving on in his own way. As Jedi, they were trained from a young age to let their loss move past them, keeping distant and allowing pain to flow away as though it didn’t exist. But Anakin hadn’t grown up a Jedi. He had been forced to rely on the kindness of one person- his mother- in order to survive. He had, fiercely, unapologetically, loved his mother. And now she was gone. He supposed it was understandable that he’d still be feeling the effects of such trauma, and even more understandable that he’d remain quiet about it. 

Anakin’s body convulsed, pulling Obi Wan out of his thoughts. The boy was clinging to his pillow like a life ring, as though it could keep him from being dragged down by the waves of his own grief. It hurt to watch him like this, almost too much. Obi Wan couldn’t bear watching his former padawan suffer through something that was obviously so terrible. Despite the change in rank and title, Obi Wan had remained protective of the young Jedi, and they still shared a close bond that made them a formidable team. 

Slowly, wary of the distance between the bed and the small drawer next to it (the lightsaber sat there- he didn’t want to lose his fingers in an unfortunate accident) he reached over and trailed his hand over Anakin’s cheek, biting his lip as the man seemed to cower from his touch. 

“Anakin? Anakin, you need to wake up. It’s a bad dream, Anakin.” he spoke softly, but as the name had left his lips the young man awoke with a start, gasping as though he had been denied air. His eyes flashed wildly until they fixed onto Obi Wan’s face. 

Fear flickered to confusion to embarrassment as he registered his former Master; he scrambled into a sitting position, snatching at the tangled sheets to cover himself. “Obi Wan! I just- I didn’t- I…” he faltered, eyes filling with tears. Obi Wan felt a tremor through the air; he was using the Force to centre himself. The feeling brought a brief smile to his lips- despite his hotheadedness and general dismissal of most of the Jedi codes, he really was a fast learner, and the Force came naturally to him.

“I didn’t mean to wake you.” He managed eventually, fighting to keep his voice level and failing miserably. He was still breathing heavily with exertion and panic, and he was covered in a fine sheen of sweat. Obi Wan sat forward and brushed the damp hair from his forehead. 

“Anakin.” He said gently, “It’s all right.” 

The young Jedi closed his eyes again and let out a long, shaky breath. “I’m sorry.” He mumbled. 

 

“Would you like to talk about it?” Obi Wan offered, shifting himself so he was practically lying next to the man. Anakin leant into him without really thinking. “I don’t… it isn’t proper.” He managed. Obi Wan nodded, understanding that Anakin preferred to keep his own weaknesses private. He continued to stroke his hair, his breathing slowing as Anakin curled his body closer to his own. 

“Did I… Did you hear…” Anakin trailed off, unable to finish. Obi Wan shook his head quickly, resting his chin in the other man’s hair. The lie left him easily enough; he didn’t want to cause unnecessary stress.

“No, you were just shouting and crying- I couldn’t understand any of it.” 

Anakin relaxed against him, obviously satisfied with the answer. Obi Wan wondered briefly if he really believed him, or if he wanted to. It was impossible to tell with him like this, content at his side. There was something… distracting about him, about _them_ , lying together. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but the gentle rise and fall of Anakin’s chest, the occasional metallic click as the fingers of his artificial hand moved, made a warm feeling blossom in his chest. 

He cared for his old padawan- that must be it. They had been through a lot together. He knew the Jedi Council frowned upon the attachment between the two of them. But he didn’t think he could stop it any more than he could halt the flow of his own blood through his veins.


End file.
